Avenging a 42-23 earlier season loss, the JV boys rolled over visiting Martin County West 52-31 on Tuesday.
Both offenses were cold early, but on his way to 14 points, Tanner Simonette (above) plopped in a basket from the corner to turn on the scoreboard. Simonette took a long Sam Ternes pass in for a layup to score the next Clipper basket too, and after Mason Kluntz rebounded and scored, the JV boys—who were the only one of five Clipper teams to come out of New Ulm Cathedral with a win the Thursday before— were in front 6-0.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks couldn’t buy a basket and finally put in a three at the 6:20 mark to get on the board.
But the Clippers went on a terror from there with treys from Miles Tomaszewski and Simonette. Tomaszewski grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for a basket and then airmailed a three to complete an 11-point Clipper run.
After the Mavericks put in a layup, Simonette bagged a jump shot and Kluntz scored for a 21-5 Clipper lead at the break.
In the second half, Ternes scored a dozen points from behind the arc. Zayden Linder and Simonette each added one three. Gavin Karels put in a bucket, and Jack Mons, Luke Heldberg and Kiptyn Coon each put in a bucket off the bench.
The Mavericks kept pace but couldn’t overcome their lackluster start.
With his quartet of threes in the second half, Ternes finished the night with a dozen points. Tomaszewski totaled eight points. Kluntz had two first-half buckets and one in the second half for six total points. Linder had three points. Mons, Karels, Heldberg and Coon each contributed a basket. Carsyn Ryg added a free basket.
The Clippers totaled nine threes and made one of two free shots. The Mavericks put in three threes and missed all five of their free throws.
Cleveland 44, NUC 40
With the Clippers in front 41-35 in the second half, Cathedral made a pair of free shots. Sam Ternes made the second of two free throws, but the Greyhounds responded with a three to pull within a bucket, 42-40 with 35 seconds left.
On the Clippers’ ensuing possession, the ball few out of bounds on the Clippers. The Greyhounds go-ahead shot caromed off the rim, and Kluntz was there to grab the rebound. While the Clippers missed four free throws in two trips to the line, Cathedral’s next two shots were off target.
Back at the line, Ternes sunk a pair of free shots to put the finishing touches on the victory.
Led by Kluntz’s eight points and threes by Ternes and Karels, the Clippers were up 26-12 in the first half. Kluntz went on to pace the Clippers with 17 points.
Ternes had eight points, five of them from the foul line. Tomaszewski had six points. Simonette put in two first half buckets and a second-half free throw for five points. Karels and Tony Hollerich each had three points. Killian Kunkel chipped in a basket in the first half.
The Clippers had two threes and made 12 of 29 free throws. Cathedral put in four threes and were successful in 10 of 18 free shots.
The JV boys will look for a third straight win in a 4:45 game vs host St. James tonight (Thursday).
